In January 2001 Jim McNeill conceived the idea of combining his professional rescue expertise with his polar expeditioning into a long term vision known as the Ice Warrior Project.
Jim has worked in the environmental science sector, trained army personnel to use mountains safely and has 12 years of blue-chip marketing communications experience at consultancy level. Last year he resigned his fire and rescue operations for the Royal Household, to engage in “professional exploring”.
Throughout his career Jim has selected, trained and led teams in key business situations, where the reputation and share value of corporations is won and lost on strategic and tactical media relations; to critical life saving situations, where effective leadership and hands on teamwork are key to preserving the lives of car crash victims; through to longer term life-threatening situations in extreme climatic situations with multiple risks over long periods of time. Jim thrives on challenge and change. He has a passion for leadership and getting the very best performance out of individuals and teams, at any level.
He has written for numerous publications, scientific papers and is currently writing his first book. Last year Jim was ITV News’ own “Ice Warrior” reporting directly from some 200 miles into the Arctic Ocean on the actual effects of global warming on the Arctic ice cap - bringing the reality of global climate change to audiences around the globe.
Next year the story will continue on ITN as he attempts to be the first person in history to reach the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility at the very centre of the Arctic Ocean. He is going alone and without re-supply on a treacherous journey of 735 miles and 75 days duration. At the same time he will gather crucial climate data for the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NASA supported work). He will also be writing a weekly diary piece about his expedition for BBC Online and a national newspaper.
Jim spent most of this summer on Ellesmere Island in the Arctic where he was guide and safety advisor for the BBC’s Natural History Unit. Jim located the elusive Arctic Wolf for the BBC and has written a diary about the wolves and their environment for BBC Online.
The first expedition will take place in Jordan later this year and will take a team of trained novices to re-establish (using Bedouin stone markers) a part of the ancient Silk Road which has been lost for over 300 years. The team will also conduct crucial scientific work particularly focused on global climate change.
As well as significant involvement in polar exploration Jim has a wealth of qualifications, skills and experience.
• Graduate of The Institution of Fire Engineers - GIFireE
• Associate Member International Emergency Technical Rescue Institute
• Associate Member of the British Association for Immediate Care Scheme – BASICS
• Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Certificate – PHEC November 1996
• Emergency/Rescue Personnel Member of the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service – Brigade instructor first-aid training
• Rescue Emergency Care Advanced First Aid for the Arctic
• Fellow of The Royal Geographic Society – FRGS
As a person, Jim believes that consideration for others, an enthusiasm for life and broad-based experience makes for a balanced soul and says his greatest attributes are empathy, initiative, a good measure of common sense - and the ability to communicate and motivate.
46 year old Jim is married to Lori, has two daughters, Kirsty, 25 and Helen, 21, a 9 year old son, Mac and currently lives in Royal Berkshire, England.
Jim has worked in the environmental science sector, trained army personnel to use mountains safely and has 12 years of blue-chip marketing communications experience at consultancy level. Last year he resigned his fire and rescue operations for the Royal Household, to engage in “professional exploring”.
Throughout his career Jim has selected, trained and led teams in key business situations, where the reputation and share value of corporations is won and lost on strategic and tactical media relations; to critical life saving situations, where effective leadership and hands on teamwork are key to preserving the lives of car crash victims; through to longer term life-threatening situations in extreme climatic situations with multiple risks over long periods of time. Jim thrives on challenge and change. He has a passion for leadership and getting the very best performance out of individuals and teams, at any level.
He has written for numerous publications, scientific papers and is currently writing his first book. Last year Jim was ITV News’ own “Ice Warrior” reporting directly from some 200 miles into the Arctic Ocean on the actual effects of global warming on the Arctic ice cap - bringing the reality of global climate change to audiences around the globe.
Next year the story will continue on ITN as he attempts to be the first person in history to reach the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility at the very centre of the Arctic Ocean. He is going alone and without re-supply on a treacherous journey of 735 miles and 75 days duration. At the same time he will gather crucial climate data for the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NASA supported work). He will also be writing a weekly diary piece about his expedition for BBC Online and a national newspaper.
Jim spent most of this summer on Ellesmere Island in the Arctic where he was guide and safety advisor for the BBC’s Natural History Unit. Jim located the elusive Arctic Wolf for the BBC and has written a diary about the wolves and their environment for BBC Online.
The first expedition will take place in Jordan later this year and will take a team of trained novices to re-establish (using Bedouin stone markers) a part of the ancient Silk Road which has been lost for over 300 years. The team will also conduct crucial scientific work particularly focused on global climate change.
As well as significant involvement in polar exploration Jim has a wealth of qualifications, skills and experience.
• Graduate of The Institution of Fire Engineers - GIFireE
• Associate Member International Emergency Technical Rescue Institute
• Associate Member of the British Association for Immediate Care Scheme – BASICS
• Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Certificate – PHEC November 1996
• Emergency/Rescue Personnel Member of the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service – Brigade instructor first-aid training
• Rescue Emergency Care Advanced First Aid for the Arctic
• Fellow of The Royal Geographic Society – FRGS
As a person, Jim believes that consideration for others, an enthusiasm for life and broad-based experience makes for a balanced soul and says his greatest attributes are empathy, initiative, a good measure of common sense - and the ability to communicate and motivate.
46 year old Jim is married to Lori, has two daughters, Kirsty, 25 and Helen, 21, a 9 year old son, Mac and currently lives in Royal Berkshire, England.
Polar Explorer, Climate Change and Incident Leadership expert Jim has over 23 years of experience of Arctic travelling. Jim McNeill is an accomplished polar explorer, presenter and keynote speaker.
Serious Stuff
Leadership
The world of leadership training is full of people that create jargon and lists of “must-dos” - and then the inevitable book or three in a similar vein. No matter what the audience, Jim “rolls up his sleeves” and talks about what he calls simple and dynamic leadership based on reality, simple characteristics and a goodly degree of common sense. If you want a no-nonsense, working talk anecdotally portrayed by dipping into Jim’s three “pools” of personal experience, then this is the talk for you.
Motivation
It is when people are at the extreme end of their “tether”, absolutely physically and mentally shattered and you have to ask them for more, (without question or even murmur) that you really get to know something about motivation. Are there any tricks, techniques, tools? Jim discusses and draws parallels.
Performance
Jim describes himself as having a passion for getting the very best performance out of everyone; individually or collectively as a team. Having recently trained 51 people from all walks of life and every echelon of society to become competent sea ice travellers and 26 of those people having reached the Geomagnetic North Pole, he certainly has something useful to offer on the subject.
Incident Leadership and Planning for Disasters
Jim can present a keynote speech or workshop based on incident leadership, situation and critical crisis management, communications, risk assessment and dynamic risk assessments etc. Anecdotal evidence is drawn from Jim’s operational fire service work, Royal Household fire precautions work and Arctic expeditionary work.
Climate Change Issues
The subject of global climate change has moved on. It’s clear, it’s here! The Arctic has long been recognised as a barometer of what is going on and International Polar Year has focussed people’s attentions on watching the barometer. Jim’s Ice Warrior Project plays a crucial role in gathering the scientific raw data and in delivering the reality of climate change to its audiences around the globe. Having started his working life in 1980 measuring the environmental impact of agricultural practices, which included ground-breaking work on the depletion of the ozone layer, Jim has had an extraordinarily close relationship with the Arctic Region over the past twenty three years and is exceptionally well qualified to talk first hand about the changes he has seen.
Leadership
The world of leadership training is full of people that create jargon and lists of “must-dos” - and then the inevitable book or three in a similar vein. No matter what the audience, Jim “rolls up his sleeves” and talks about what he calls simple and dynamic leadership based on reality, simple characteristics and a goodly degree of common sense. If you want a no-nonsense, working talk anecdotally portrayed by dipping into Jim’s three “pools” of personal experience, then this is the talk for you.
Motivation
It is when people are at the extreme end of their “tether”, absolutely physically and mentally shattered and you have to ask them for more, (without question or even murmur) that you really get to know something about motivation. Are there any tricks, techniques, tools? Jim discusses and draws parallels.
Performance
Jim describes himself as having a passion for getting the very best performance out of everyone; individually or collectively as a team. Having recently trained 51 people from all walks of life and every echelon of society to become competent sea ice travellers and 26 of those people having reached the Geomagnetic North Pole, he certainly has something useful to offer on the subject.
Incident Leadership and Planning for Disasters
Jim can present a keynote speech or workshop based on incident leadership, situation and critical crisis management, communications, risk assessment and dynamic risk assessments etc. Anecdotal evidence is drawn from Jim’s operational fire service work, Royal Household fire precautions work and Arctic expeditionary work.
Climate Change Issues
The subject of global climate change has moved on. It’s clear, it’s here! The Arctic has long been recognised as a barometer of what is going on and International Polar Year has focussed people’s attentions on watching the barometer. Jim’s Ice Warrior Project plays a crucial role in gathering the scientific raw data and in delivering the reality of climate change to its audiences around the globe. Having started his working life in 1980 measuring the environmental impact of agricultural practices, which included ground-breaking work on the depletion of the ozone layer, Jim has had an extraordinarily close relationship with the Arctic Region over the past twenty three years and is exceptionally well qualified to talk first hand about the changes he has seen.
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